Coffee output in Brazil, the world's top producer and exporter, may rise by as much as 20 per cent to a record in 2016 as rain boosted crops and expanded plantings.

Growers may reap between 49.1 million and 51.9 million bags, up from 43.2 million bags in 2015, the Agriculture Ministry's crop-forecasting agency known as Conab said Wednesday in its first forecast for the next harvest. Arabica production may increase as much as 24 per cent while robusta output is seen rising up to 8 per cent.